Marin raffle to help address greater community needs

23 February 2009
Posted in House Raffles In the Media

According to this article on the Marin Independent Journal, San Rafael-based non-profit agency Community Action Marin is struggling to cope with an increased demand for its services. When an unemployed East Bay couple approached them to organize a raffle to give away their $2 million "dream house", the charity welcomed the new source of fundraising.

Russ Hamel, director of development for the Marin non-profit organization, provides a sense of the kind of pressure the charity has come under in recent months: "Our clients are still primarily low-income, but we're seeing a huge increase from middle-class folks who have lost their jobs."

According to the article, Marin has observed a 20 percent increase in demand for its support services since last August. Demand for job and financial assistance programs has reportedly increased 30 percent in recent months.

Anne Rogers, executive director of the Marin Community Food Bank, echoes Mr Hamel's concerns, indicating that demand to supply Marin's seven emergency food banks jumped 30 percent in the last three months. Approximately 50,000 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables are supplied each month to 63 Marin agencies at present, double last year's amount.

The lucky winners of Saturday's Dream House Raffle, Susan and Brad Wells, won a 4,400 sqf home situated on a San Rafael hilltop. Recently laid off himself, Mr Wells couldn't believe his luck, hesitating between accepting the luxury home or the cash alternative amount of $1.2 million.

Likewise, Community Action Marin managed to raise $1.3 million from the exercise, a helpful contribution to its annual budget of $19 million.

Click here to read the full story onn the Marin Independent Journal.

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